Although it was Pepsi beverage rival Coca Cola that owns the vintage jingle: “I’d like to teach the world to sing. In perfect harmony. I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company,” it was Pepsi that came though and personified it—with vintage clips of protests that went over as “tasteless.”
https://youtu.be/PCEm21aTh5Q
(SINCE THE DAY THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN, PEPSI HAS SINCE, PULLED THE AD) ↑
Because, let Twitter and social media tell it, the civil rights symbolic commercial both fizzed and went up in flames like Michael’s head while shooting for them.
https://twitter.com/ByRyanBrooks/status/849405136703291393
Like both the calm, still life Iesha Evans standing in front of aggressively positioned Baton Rogue officers (post Alton Sterling shooting death) and reminiscent of a scene out of the cop-hating Beyonce “Formation” video-of all people-Kendall Jenner handing over a Pepsi to an officer in formation;
I'm boycotting all @Pepsi products until they apologize for this blasphemy. Here's a list of their brands: https://t.co/9Rf91nLVyX pic.twitter.com/HsvUvj27Bl
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) April 5, 2017
…needless to say the timing of Pepsi’s video alarmed, angered and confused many people.
Others let the quips fly:
https://twitter.com/thelollcano/status/849415616184410113
Call it careful, ironic implementation of the anniversary of Beyonce of Jay. Or shrewd, strategic, placement for advertising on the 49th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination,
"Aye…tell Jesse to get a 6-pack of Pepsi and bring it to Selma. I'll explain later…" pic.twitter.com/5VElyQqC0W
— Suge Night Shyamalan ➐ (@B_Effin_G) April 5, 2017
…either way, Pepsi stands by its assertion that its intent was for reasons to rejoice that than revolt/ The soda giant told Adweek “This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together coming together in spirit of harmony, and we thing that’s an important message to convey.”
Social media begged to differ:
https://twitter.com/ziwe/status/849426140678807552
For more on this story, tap in to our friends at Huffington Post here and here .
UPDATE (since this blog was originally posted):
Since the blacklash, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King‘s daughter’s tweet:
If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi. pic.twitter.com/FA6JPrY72V
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 5, 2017
….Pepsi, apologized (to Kendall Jenner?–I dunno why-she got her publicity out of it + is at indirect, rather than direct “fault”) …but too, the soda giant apologized to Bernice King-Martin Luther King’s daughter:
Pepsi’s official statement:
— Pepsi (@pepsi) April 5, 2017
"Now just wait one second officers.
I have a Pepsi." pic.twitter.com/NW0sddKOOI
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 5, 2017
